Air guns are a fun way to perform target shooting without causing much noise or danger to oneself or anyone nearby. Setting up your own air gun range is a relatively easy process if you have the space. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Backyard Air Gun Range
Backyard air gun ranges are an easy and fun way to practice target shooting. This will require an open space that has no pets or physical barriers. The area should be at least 2000 square feet in size, which is the size of a small backyard.
Here’s what you need:
- Targets (circles, printouts, animal silhouettes)
- Empty soda cans
- A bag of sand
- Cardboard or steel backstops (not wood)
- Red construction warning stakes or warning signs
- A clear distance from the shooter to the target
- Metal wire
Steps:
- Find or create a clear space in your backyard that is large enough to set up a target range.
- Get targets (circle targets, square targets, or silhouette targets)
- Use the cardboard or steel as backstops to post targets to and stop bbs or pellets.
- Hang empty soda cans inside the cardboard boxes or across the backstops as targets.
When choosing an area for your air gun range, pick an open space that is free of obstacles. This is to be sure no one gets injured by any stray projectiles.
You can choose the target distances, as this is entirely up to you. However, targets set up at a very far distance may be out of range of the air gun or may make it too difficult to see.
When using an airgun at a home range, make sure not to aim at:
- Tables and chairs
- A Jacuzzi
- A swimming pool operations box
- A neighbor’s fence
- Any windows or doors
- The main house walls
- A pet enclosure
- Up in the air (to not hurt anyone in the neighborhood).
Always make sure to wear adequate safety gear (safety glasses, vest, ear plugs, etc.) when using the target range.
Indoor Air Gun Range
Indoor air gun ranges are another fun way to perform target shooting while on your property. These are especially useful if you live in climates that have very cold and snowy winters, or extremely hot summers.
Making an indoor air gun range is very similar to making an outdoor one. Here’s what you need:
- A large room or hallway with limited access points to prevent anyone from walking into the line of fire.
- Targets
- Soda cans
- Cardboard boxes
- Shelves
- Tape, glue, or stapler
- Metal wire or zip ties
- Carpet
Steps:
- Make a clear pathway to allow for unobstructed shooting.
- Attach targets to cardboard boxes and backstops using tape, glue, or staples.
- Attach 2-3 layers of carpet to the back of the cardboard boxes to stop the projectiles.
- Hang soda cans or targets from the inside of boxes or a clothesline using metal wire or zip ties.
- Set cardboard boxes on shelves with the targets attached.
- Set up your individual targets at select distances.
You will need a way to hold the targets up at different distances. You can pin them to the wall or have a wire hanger system that holds the targets at select range points. This depends on how far you want to go in creating your indoor air gun range. You will also need some type of backstop to stop the pellets from going too far.
The air gun range can be set up in any room in your house as long as there is enough space. However, indoor air gun ranges are best suited for large basements, where the pellets can lodge into the concrete underground, rather than ricochet through the house. They also are able to decrease the sound created by firing air guns. Basements are also easy to close off from the main house by locking a single access door.
Always warn others that you will be shooting so they can stay out of the line of fire. Once your shooting is finished, sweep up all the pellets and get them ready to go for next time.
The shooting distance also plays a role in using an air rifle safely. For more, see How Far Can An Air Rifle Shoot?
Safety First!
Air guns can cause serious harm to people and animals if they are accidentally hit by a bb or pellet. This is why it is important to always prioritize safety over all other concerns while using them. Here are some critical safety tips:
- The most important safety gear to wear when shooting an air gun is eye protection. These will protect the eyes from any pellets or bbs that can ricochet off objects or from a direct shot fired accidentally.
- Never aim an air gun at animals or people nearby.
- Choose an airgun that is appropriate for your skillset.
- Make sure to read the airgun’s instruction manual to understand how it works and what safety precautions you need to take.
An airgun may seem harmless, but it is definitely not. Always treat an airgun as a real, loaded gun and never aim or shoot it at anything you do not intend to shoot. By keeping safety in mind, air gun target shooting can be kept fun for everyone.
To Close
Building an indoor or outdoor airgun range depends on the scale and purpose of the range. If you plan ahead and follow the necessary steps, you can build a safe and functional airgun range for your shooting needs. Just remember that air gun shooting is meant to be fun, so always keep safety in mind.
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